But you are a believer in the notion of oppression of women in Africa. In Sex, Women and (Hu)Woman Rights you paint a picture of this oppression. From Azuah's paper it appears that some African women respond to various forms of oppression including marital infidelity by their husbands by turning inwards, and seeking to empower themselves through their sexuality, and the frightening thought that lesbianism in fact does go on in many African marriages. My questions are these: are these forms of reaction real in Africa? Do you see characters in your stories evolving in the future into same sex heroines?

Are these reactions real in Africa? These reactions are probably real all over the world. Some lesbians I have spoken to claim they became lesbians because they were sexually abused as children. Some are victims of failed heterosexual relationships.

A few years ago, I read a book on Indian lesbians (sorry, I forget the name now and so many of my books are still unpacked, courtesy of moving countries twice in two years) and at least one half of the women whose stories are told are in heterosexual marriages.

Maybe marriages provide a cover for lesbian relationships in homophobic societies.

I do not think I will ever write lesbian literature. One, because I do not see lesbianism as the solution to anything. Secondly because, while I respect people's choices to be lesbians, my cultural and religious upbringing is against it. I strive to write good literature, but I also strive to write what I believe in.  

I do believe that women do get the shorter end of the deal most times and not just in Africa. I harp on Africa because charity begins at home. I am one of five girls (and we have two brothers) and while I was growing up, I was aware of the fact that there were certain things my brothers could get away with it and none of us girls could. One of my mother's friends found out only after her husband was dead that he had a son outside the marriage and to whom he had willed all their property. Because she had no son, she had no foot to stand on to contest the will. I do know that tradition often colludes with the male to keep women in many African societies subordinate to the male. 

I am always fascinated by the reasons writers give for writing. Why, Chika do you write? If you were to assign a reason to the over-riding motive behind your body of work what would it be?

I used to write to escape boredom. With a husband and three children all under seven and living in a society where the female does all the ironing, I do not have time to be bored. Now, I write to keep sane.

If that is the case, why do you get your works published? After you have vented your emotions and thoughts on paper or a computer page at home, why that extra step? Why do you find it necessary to share your loves, your dislikes or hates, your dreams, your ecstasies, your frustrations, or all other things that can make a person mad? Why share them at all?

The most correct answer would be that I get them published to share my message. The truth however is that I do it for the ego. I like to see my name in print. I like to think that someone somewhere is reading my works and going, " that is nice." Seriously though, some things I try to get published because I believe that they are socially relevant.